Hoffenheim played with the shackles off from the get-go, and were rewarded as early as the sixth minute. Belfodil collected the returning Nico Schulz’s fine through-ball and drew the save from Gregor Kobel, with Kramaric reacting fastest to tuck away the follow-up. Julian Nagelsmann’s men continued to play cat and mouse with Augsburg as Kobel denied Belfodil and recovered brilliantly to push Kramaric’s close-range rebound onto the crossbar. Marco Richter shot over and Ja-Cheol Koo had an effort blocked in a rare moment of first-half respite for the hosts.

Kobel thwarted Belfodil once again soon after the restart, though the Algerian would likely have done far better but for a cumbersome first touch. Augsburg threw men forward in search of an equaliser as Michael Gregortisch sent a free header off target, but the threat to their own goal remained. Belfodil effectively ended Augsburg's comeback hopes when he stole in to head home a Demirbay cross past the hour, before completing his hat-trick with a pair of incisive counter-attacking goals to leave Augsburg - who had an Alfred Finnbogason effort ruled out for offside - hovering just four points above the relegation play-off spot with six games to go.

Watch:Belfodil happy after netting maiden career hat-trick

Match stats

Hoffenheim are unbeaten in four, picking up 10 from a possible 12 points.

Belfodil has scored nine goals in his past eight Bundesliga games, having previously netted four all season.

Only Bayern Munich's Robert Lewandowski has scored more Bundesliga goals in 2019 (11) than Belfodil and Kramaric (both nine).

Kramaric has opened the scoring a league-high seven times this season.

Hoffenheim are unbeaten in eight games against Augsburg (six wins, two draws), while they have won on their past four trips to Bavaria.

Augsburg have conceded seven goals in their last two Bundesliga games.